Wait for it... "It'll even out over time", "All wood is the same" etcetc... such BS. I've had my MM for 22 years and watched it go from tiny shallow dimples to now a shiny but wavy sort of delicate texture. Never anything like these new PF's - and to think I worried about the minor dimpling my MM showed way back then..lol. I have older Stern's also (LOTR,TSPP) that also have only the most shallow of indentations.
My TWD, however, looks like the surface of the moon in comparison (or "lumpy clay" as Rare hero eloquently states)... these will NOT "smooth out" over time but it's such a great game I can live with it.

Stern (or whomever is making these PF's) is simply buying the cheapest, greenest and most unseasoned wood they can... hence the softness. Saves a few bucks.

Cue vid to show up here and trundle out the same old pics he found on the Internet of TOM's outlanes, etc. I have a TOM and it can throw the ball all the way back over the flippers so I would indeed expect to find some deeper dimpling there.

And to be fair right after I bought the MM I returned a CV because it DID have an obviously soft PF. Rare back in the day but it happens. Divots so deep from day one that the guy at Betson's (that I sorta knew) actually gave me my money back. I reported it on rgp and nobody believed you could get your money back. Instead of hearing the part about the PF I got pummeled about getting a refund.

The good 'ole days indeed

It worked out for the best as CV went on closeout for $2100 and I snagged one that had the typically hard PF. Still have it in the same spot.

Here you go my friend: https://www.timberproducts.com/blog/hardwood-plywood-series-the-drying-equation

Just find a supplier that cuts corners during this procedure and you'll get what you're looking for... softer wood sold to your fledgling company on the cheap!

Loved your post though... made me chuckle. Puts things in perspective

I don't doubt it Brad... the thicker clear does show the problem off nicely. But considering I had the same issue with a NIB WMS I doubt if it is the main issue. If the thickness added to it you'd see some kind of marks even on the inserts.

But I gotta ask... is that piece of pinball poetry attributable to myself? I don't keep a posting compendium around like you do

Yeah that water drop looks like where my original CV dropped the balls off the ramp for multiball. Still the rest of the pic looks suspiciously like my TWD Pr.

Yeah you gotta love dimple discussions... like politics and religion nobody really ever changes their mind This one actually looks a little worse than my TWD... and you can buy me at least a couple drinks (for calling me an old-timer). These days I'm just *old*.

This was a few weeks old too at the time... but somewhat more understandable:
bm66 (resized).png

I'm going to have to come over there and confiscate your Roland drum kit for "deepfaking" your PS friends. Shame on you

Ah be nice Vid... did people call you a "nube" when you raved that a "deluxe" Strat had a "little spring under the whammy bar"?

Everybody knows the basic Strat has had that since the 60's or earlier. The deluxes DON'T use a spring and use a pop-in bar with an allen head adjustment. In fact the only thing "deluxe" about it were the locking tuners... you got everything else wrong. I tried to gently correct you early in that thread but you just ignored it of course. I see all kinds of similar dubious claims from you but who cares... this stuff is supposed to be fun to talk about. And you're usually a funny guy.

So he got the plywood count wrong... fact is my TWD will never end up looking as good as that AFM pic you got off the net. My AFM is right next to the TWD.

There's a lot to consider as the shinier clear does show it off more... improper drying time WILL give you softer wood, etc... this is just supposed to be something interesting to talk about.

Gnarly description... I'm afraid to ask if that has something to with your alias

So you were amazed that a Roadhouse Strat had a spring under the whammy? Hmm I just figured the one you had when you were younger had lost the spring before you got it. Easy to lose that little inchworm. Hence the sticker over the whammy hole when you buy them new.

Whatever... you'll always be my favorite king dick